Fly-trap.



PATENTED NOV 6, 1906 H. J. STEINMANN.

FLY TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 9, 1906.

'HE NORRIS PETERS c0, vusmucron. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FLY-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 1906.

Application filed April 9, 1906. Serial Nb. 310,631.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, HENRY J. STEINMANN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, I

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fly-Traps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fly-traps, and has for its principal objects to produce an efficient trap which is simple in construction and can be easily cleaned, and to secure'other advantages hereinafter more fully appearing.

The invention consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through the trap. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through the fillingnipple. Fig. 3 is an end view looking in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 2, with certain parts removed. Fig. 4 is an end view of the nipple looking in the direction of the arrow B, showing the end disk and washer in position; and Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the nipple.

The trap comprises a dome-shaped transparent receptacle 1, preferably formed of glass. The receptacle is supported at a slight elevation by feet 2. The bottom of the receptacle is formed with a central opening which is surrounded by an inturned annular flange 3. Said inturned flange forms the inner wall of an annular channel 4, adapted to receive a suitable liquid, preferably water. At a point a short distance above the water-level the flange 3 is formed with an annular ledge 5, which overhangs the waterchannel.

A filling-nipple of peculiar construction is provided for the device. It comprises an externally-threaded nipple 6, arranged at a slight inclination upwardly from the side wall of the receptacle. The upper portion of the nipple is cut away, thus forming a substantially U-shaped passage 7 in alinement with an opening 8, communicating with the channel 4. At the base of the nipple is a faced boss 9, forming an abutment for a sealing-washer 10. A disk 11, preferably of semiresilient material, is pivotally mounted at the outer end of the nipple upon a tapering stud 12, whose widest diameter is at its outer extremity, thus guarding against accidental displacement of the disk. The disk forms a movable end wall for the filling-passage 7. The disk also assists the sealing-washer 10 in preventing leakage when the internallythreaded cap or closure 13 is screwed upon the nipple.

The lnclosing cap is preferably flanged, as at 14, to form an extended bearing-surface for the washer 10. Its end wall is flattened to evenly engage the disk 12, and an annular ridge 15 may be provided which can be knurled or formed with flattened faces, if desired, to facilitate the removing and replacing of the cap. The parts are so proportioned that the proper evel of the water in the channel 4 is determined by filling until the level of the water comes on a plane with the outer edge of the bottom of the passage 7, as shown in Figs. land 2.

In the operation of the trap, water having been supplied to the channel 4 to the depth indicated in Fig. 1, the trap is placed upon a convenient level surface over some sweetened substance (indicated at m) which will attract flies. Flies will enter beneath the trap through the space y and light upon the sweetened substance. A fly beneath the receptacle upon beingv startled by a noise or starting to fly away will usually fly upward through the large central opening at the bottom and into the transparent dome. In endeavoring to get out through the transparent shell the fly Will become exhausted and gradually work down or drop into the water. The object of forming the receptacle of a domeshaped or continuously-curved shell is to avold any sharp angles or projections Whereby a fly might be interfered with or permitted to rest. The annular ledge 5 prevents the fly after becoming wet from crawling out from the channel 4.

Water is supplied to the channel 4 through the nipple 6. The cap being removed and the disk 11 held in position across the open end of the passage 7, the nipple is placed With its opening beneath a faucet or other suitable source of water-supply. When it is desired to clean the interior of the trap, the water, together with the accumulation of dead flies, can be poured out through the nipple, while the large opening in the bottom permits access to the interior of the shell.

Obviously my device admits of considerable modification within the scope of my invention, and. therefore I do not wish to be limited to the specific construction shown and described.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A fly-trap comprising a dome-shaped transparent shell having an opening in its bottom and a liquid-channel surrounding said opening, a nipple having its upper portion cut away and having an inclined passage communicating with said liquid-channel, and a closure for said nipple-opening and said passage.

2. A fly-trap comprising a dome-shaped transparent shell having an opening in its bottom and a liquid-channel surrounding said opening, a nipple having its upper portion cut away and having an inclined passage communicating with said liquidchannel,

a movable disk formingan outer end wall for said passage, and a closure for said nippleopemng and passage.

3. The combination ofa receptacle, a nipple having a cut-away upper portion and HENRY J. STEINMANN.

Witnesses:

G. A. PENNINGTON, J. B. MEGOWN. 

